[MacedonianHero]

^ Definitely going to have to try them after I'm done with the Monster DNA Pro, B&O H6s and NAD HP50s. 

 

[Trunks159]

how's the soundstage m-13?

 

[M-13]

how's the soundstage m-13?

It's quite spacious and the imaging is great too. I'm trying very hard to find some flaws right now. The fact that I'm trying this hard says something about this can. I usually complain about every can, nit-pick about this and that.  I'm sure I'll locate something eventually.
 
I guess the plasticky build? Compared to the magnesium alloy build of the 7520, everything sort of looks bad. The pad opening is kind of small, not Momentum small, but it barely fits my average ears. The pad depth is pretty good though, the back does not touch my ears like the 7520. The headphone bag they include is pretty crappy and a very tight fit for the Spirit Pro.
 
It's probably the first can I've put on where I immediately thought, man this sounds better than the Sig Pro. Holy! The 7520 was competitive with the Sigs, but I honestly couldn't say they were better overall.
 
For me this may be "the one." My long search may be finally done. And now I know why Focal has a great reputation in the speaker world. If they brought out open backed headphones with this exact signature it will be straight up crazy.

 

[Trunks159]

Any particular peaks or emphasis in any region? It can't be perfectly flat!

So it's:
FSP vs AKG K545 vs MDR 1R MK2 vs HP50 for me. The B&O looks stunning, but it costs a but much. The HP50 looks like it'll sound good, but it's ugly.

Leaning on K545 and FSP. I swear I'm in the same spot I was in 2 months ago.

 

[M-13]

Any particular peaks or emphasis in any region? It can't be perfectly flat!

So it's:
FSP vs AKG K545 vs MDR 1R MK2 vs HP50 for me. The B&O looks stunning, but it costs a but much. The HP50 looks like it'll sound good, but it's ugly.

Leaning on K545 and FSP. I swear I'm in the same spot I was in 2 months ago.

LOL. I know right? It can't be flat. There has to be weird peaks or dips or some uneveness somewhere. Which is what I've come to expect from all headphones.
 
I'm not sure if it'll run a super even sign sweep, but just from listening to normal music it is indeed pretty crazy flat. Where this is most suprising is the upper-mids. I've never heard upper-mids this flat, so present without being offensive in anyway.
 
I would say don't waste your time with the 1R, I've had extensive experience and it's not in the same league as the Spirit Pro.
 
If you know you're kind of a neutral head, who loves flat detailed sound, Spirit Pro is very nice.

 

[Trunks159]

1Rmk2? I have the original 1r. It's ok, but it looks fantastic.

 

[M-13]

1Rmk2? I have the original 1r. It's ok, but it looks fantastic.

Yeah, I haven't seen any concrete impressions of the Mk2. I had the Mk1 of course. I really like the 1R and think they're fantastic in the $200 category. Having said that the 7520 walks all over them, and the Spirit Pro is in that league, so if you can afford the Spirit Pro I would say go for it unless you have sources that say the mk2 is a drastic miracle improvement over the mk1.

 

[krayziehustler]

  Dear Ultimate-closed-back can searching peoples.
 
I got the Focal Spirit Pro and it's crazy awesome. The most neutral headphone I've heard with incredible extension, coherence and balance top to bottom. It's also very revealing of micro-details, "transparent". My jaw is on the floor and I can't seem to pick it up. It's "the one".
 
It surpasses the Ultrasone Sig Pro, which was the best can I've auditioned next to my MDR-7520, which I own.
 
I know I sound like I work for the marketing department of Focal, but I assure you, they could not pay me enough for me to be this unreasonably hyped up.

 
How is the comfort/clamping pressure?

 

[husthn]

Build quality of the headphone

Thanks Billson. Could you also tell me how you estimate the build quality? By their material or durance?

 

[BillsonChang007]

Thanks Billson. Could you also tell me how you estimate the build quality? By their material or durance?

I usually measure headphone's build quality by their built material and through some test which could possibly happen in your daily cycle such as slight dropping but I was never a brave man to torture them xD

 

[Brazenways]

It's quite spacious and the imaging is great too. I'm trying very hard to find some flaws right now. The fact that I'm trying this hard says something about this can. I usually complain about every can, nit-pick about this and that.  I'm sure I'll locate something eventually.
 
I guess the plasticky build? Compared to the magnesium alloy build of the 7520, everything sort of looks bad. The pad opening is kind of small, not Momentum small, but it barely fits my average ears. The pad depth is pretty good though, the back does not touch my ears like the 7520. The headphone bag they include is pretty crappy and a very tight fit for the Spirit Pro.
 
It's probably the first can I've put on where I immediately thought, man this sounds better than the Sig Pro. Holy! The 7520 was competitive with the Sigs, but I honestly couldn't say they were better overall.
 
For me this may be "the one." My long search may be finally done. And now I know why Focal has a great reputation in the speaker world. If they brought out open backed headphones with this exact signature it will be straight up crazy.

 


re: pad depth 7520 vis. spirit pro

I agree with this completely. If there is one thing I can modify on the 7520 is to add extra cushion between the frame and pad.

 

[husthn]

I usually measure headphone's build quality by their built material and through some test which could possibly happen in your daily cycle such as slight dropping but I was never a brave man to torture them xD

Yep, maybe the more metal, the better is build quality? And so the price should be higher?

 

[Trunks159]

Not really. You have to look out for the hinges. A headphone like the Momentum will pretty much never break given the simplicity of the design. Nothing rotates much.

Now something more difficult and complicated like the MDR 1R has more things you can break.


The actual materials are important, but design flaws are bad flaws indeed.

 

[M-13]

   
How is the comfort/clamping pressure?

The comfort is on the bad side.
 
Not for me personally. I find them just fine, but for me most headphones are comfortable enough so I'm not the average guy in this regard.
 
Some problem areas for the Spirit Pro:
 
1. Small earpad opening. I can barely fit my average sized ears inside. It does have okay depth though, so no driver touching in the back for me.
2. Headband padding is pretty shallow, so people who have sensitive top part of heads might develope a sore spot there
3. Clamp is moderate I think. Not sure if people will have a problem with this. I'm thinking a majority won't have a problem with the clamp but the earpad cushion size or headband padding.
 
Like I mentioned. I personally don't have any problems wearing them for hours, but I can see the above happening to folks who are little more sensitive then I am.
 
*In terms of comfort issues with headphones I was born blessed because I almost never have any issues. Heavy, too much clamp, no padding, shallow earpads, whatever the case may be. I do however understand people.

 

[BillsonChang007]

Yep, maybe the more metal, the better is build quality? And so the price should be higher?

Not really. You have to look out for the hinges. A headphone like the Momentum will pretty much never break given the simplicity of the design. Nothing rotates much.

Now something more difficult and complicated like the MDR 1R has more things you can break.


The actual materials are important, but design flaws are bad flaws indeed.

^+1!

Materials used may be important but design is equally important.